Condoms have been widely used for many years as a form of birth control since sperm ejaculated by a male is trapped inside the condom preventing the sperm from contacting the female and fertilizing an egg. Another benefit of condoms relates to the reduced risk of the transmission of a sexually transmitted disease since a properly used condom will minimize or eliminate entirely the exchange of fluids that usually accompanies intercourse. Latex condoms have been found to be particularly useful for this purpose.
For couples where one partner has a particular sexually transmitted disease, condoms are advisable to reduce the risk of infecting the uninfected person. However, when such couples desire to conceive a child, their use of condoms will have the undesirable effect of preventing pregnancy.